Offset disk harrow



July 954 w, P. OEHLER ET AL 2,682,738

OFFSET DISK HARROW Filed June 27, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. WILLIAM P. OEHLER CHARLES H. YOUNGBERG aw I ORNEYS July 6, 1954 w. P. OEHLER ET AL 8 OFFSET DISK HARROW 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2'7, 1949 INVENTORS. WILLIAM F. OEHLER CHARLES H.YOUNGB RG y 6, 1954 1 w. P. OEHLER ET AL 2,682, 38

OFFSET DISK HARROW 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27, 1949 INVENTORS. \"WILLIAM F? OEHLER CHARLES H. YOUNGBERG T AT ORNEYS July 6, 1954 w. P. OEHLER ET AL 2,682,738

OFFSET DISK HARROW Filed June 2'7, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS.

l A m wn P. OEHLER CHA ES H. YOUNGBERG TORNEYS I w. P. OEHLER ET AL 2,682,738

OFFSET DISK HARROW 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS.

WILLIAM P. OEHLER CHARLES H. YOUNGBERG ATTORNEYS July 6'; 1954' Filed June 27, 1949 Patented July 6, 1954 OFFSET DIS-K HARROW William P. Oehler and Charles H. Youngberg, Molina, Ill., assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 27, 1949, Serial No. 101,534

13 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application, Serial No. 5,256, filed January 30, 1948, now Patent Number 2,610,445.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to offset disk harrows.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of a disk harrow of the ofiset type having front and rear gangs normally movable from a straightened parallel or transport position into an angled or working position as an incident to the soil pressure acting against the disks when the machine is propelled forwardly, but which does not require any locks, latching means or the like for holding the disks at the desired angle, irrespective of adverse soil conditions and/ or variations in soil conditions or the like.

More particularly, it is a feature of this inventionto provide a disk harrow of the offset type which is specially constructed and arranged to be hitched to a farm tractor and operated thereby conveniently and efficiently. More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide an off-- set disk harrow incorporating a linkage acting between the front and rear gangs and connected to one side of the hitch structure for the harrow so that the force of the draft acting on the linkage for swinging the rear gang relative to the front gang with an angled or working position'so acts at such mechanical advantage that soil pressure acting against the disks, particularly on the disks of the rear gang, is not effective to swing the gangs into a position of lesser angle, yet the linkage and associated parts are so arranged that swinging of the gangsinto their transport or parallel straightened position may easily and quickly be effected.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of a new and improved angling or control mechanism which is particularly adapted for use with the above mentioned offset disk harrow and which will permit straightening and angling the gangs from the tractor seat and without requiring that the tractor have implement-operating power cylinders or the like. It is a further feature of this invention to provide an angle control means 'so constructed and arranged that backing the harrow will automatically bring the harrow gangs into a straightened position facilitating rearward movement of the harrow. Another feature of this invention is the provision of a rightturn control particularly adapted for use with a harrow having an angle control of the above type, namely, one in which when the outfit is backed the gangs are normally restrained against movement beyond their straightened position, the right-turn control being constructed and arranged to override such restraint, whereby the harrow may readily be moved into the opposite angle, when desired, as to facilitate a right turn (assuming that the harrow is normally arranged V to turn to the left).

Still further, another feature of the present invention is the provision of new and improved right-turn mechanism which responds to a turn of the tractor to the right but which operates entirelyindependent of the angling mechanism, that is, without losing the setting of the angle control means.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an offset disk harrow incorporating the present invention, the harrow being shown in angled or working position;

Figure 2 isa view showing the harrow of Figure 1 in its transport or straightened position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the details of one form of gang angle control mechanism; 7

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of the present invention;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the angle control unit incorporated in the harrow shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken generally along the line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 5-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 6 but showing a right-turn control and the angle control of Figures 6-8 arranged to operate with the right-turn control; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the right-turn-responsive latch means and other parts in the positions they occupy when the harrow is positioned to make a right turn.

Referring now to the drawings, the offset disk harrow which has been chosen to illustrate the principles of the present invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 5 and comprises a front gang 2 and a rear gang 3, each of the gangs including a horizontally disaceavse posed frame made up of a pair of bars 5 having their ends bent inwardly and welded together to form a generally rectangular frame. The rear gang frame is of similar construction and like reference numerals are employed. Each frame carries a plurality of pairs of bearing standards l and 8, each pair being disposed in downwardly converging relation and welded at their upper ends to the frame bars 5 and at their lower ends are secured to a disk gang bearing unit it. So far as the present invention is concerned, the latter is of conventional construction and provides for the reception of a gang bolt i l on which disks 42 are disposed, with their spacing spools l3 between the disks. The central portion of each of the frames 4% is reenforced by a cross bar it the ends of which are welded to the central portions of the bars 5 forming the associated frame t.

The front and rear gangs 2 and 3 are pivotally interconnected for movement into and out of angled and transport or parallel positions by a pair of angling links 2i and 22, the front ends of which are connected by pivots 23 and 24 to a pair of brackets 25 and 2t fixed, as by welding, to the rear bar 5 on the front gang frame 4. The rear ends of the angling links 2! and 22 are pivotally connected, as at 28 and 29, to a pair of brackets 3i and 32 that are fixed, as by welding, to a rear bar t l that is fixed to the front bar 5 of the rear gang frame l by means which accommodates shifting the bar 3a to different posi tions, preferably by such means as a pair of U- bolts 36. The interconnecting links 25 and 22 are disposed in contact with one another so that the harrow runs level in operation and does not tend to dig in at one end of one gang or at the other end of the other gang.

The harrow i is adapted to be connected to a source of power, such as a farm tractor, by a hitch structure, indicated in its entirety by the reference muneral 3. The hitch structure comprises a hitch bar ii having a bifurcated portion :32 formed at its forward end and apertured to receive a hitch pin by which the harrow may be connected to the drawbar M of a tractor. The bar t l is bent laterally outwardly and rearwardly at its rear portion and has its central portion reenforced by a generally triangular shaped plate The hitch structure til also includes a bracing member i'i which at its forward end is pivotally connected, as at 58, to the plate id, the member at comprising two telescopically associated parts 5i and 52 which have a plurality of apertures providing for attachment of one part to the other in different positions of adjustment thereby to vary the amount of offset relative to the propelling tractor.

An angling lever 53 is pivotally mounted, as at Elli, on a forwardly extending bracket 58 that is fixed, as by welding or the like, to the front bar 5 of the front gang frame 4. The angling bell crank lever 53 comprises a first bar 65 fixed, as by welding, to a pivot plate 855 that is apertured to receive the pivot 57 carried by the bracket 58, the latter member including upper and lower sections 58a and 5822 (Figure 4) welded at their rear ends to the front frame bar. The outer end of the bell crank bar is turned downwardly and then inwardly, as indicated at E9, the adjacent portions being apertured to receive a pivot pin ll by which the rear end of the hitch bar ii is pivotally connected therewith. This portion of the bar, which forms one arm of the bell crank, is reenforced by a bracing section i2 the rear r inner portion of which is apertured to receive the lower portion of the pivot pin 57. By virtue of this construction, just described, the bell crank member 56 is rigid in a generally ver tical direction. The second arm of the bell crank 5% is formed by the plate 66, and a third arm of the bell crank 56 is formed by an extension "it of the bar t5, the extension l4 being apertured to receive a quick detachable pin by which one end of an adjustable angle-determining means may be connected, such means being adapted to be connected at its other end by a pivot pin with a lug l7 carried adjacent one end of the front disk gang frame 4. Preferably, as best shown in Figure 3, the bracket or lug '17 receiving the pin '56 comprises a generally V- shaped bar having one portion welded to the front frame bar, an upper portion ?8 extending forwardly and apertured to receive the pin it; and a lower portion is which is bent rearwardly, downwardly and then forwardly, and apertured, to receive a pin Si by which the rear end of the adjustable hitch member brace ll may be pivotally. connected to the front gang 4. The lug or bracket ii is reenforced by a brace 82 extending to the rear frame bar, as best shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in operation the gangs of an offset disk barrow are arranged at an angle to one another and the hitch is adjusted so that the couple established by the tendency of the disks of the front gang to run in one direction, and the tendency of the disks of the rear gang to run in the other direction serves to hold the disk narrow implement at one side of the line of draft pull that normally extends through the front end of the hitch bar t! where the same is connected at to the drawbar i l of the tractor. It will be also understood that the harrow may be arranged for transport by reducing the angle between the disk gangs to substantially zero, whereupon the disks will roll forwardly without cutting into the ground.

Referring for the moment to Figure 2, it will be noted that when the harrow is arranged with its gangs parallel, driving the tractor M forwardly will result in pulling up on the right end of the front gang 4 through the hitch member while the rear end of the hitch member ll exerts a force through the pivot l'i against the bell crank member 56 which acts through rear gang angling means L to pull up on the left end of the rear gang. This readily brings the gangs into their angled or operating position, as shown in Figure 1. ccording to the principles of the present invention a connection is established between the bell'crank lever and the front gang for determining the position to which the forward aft applied to the bell crank lever 56 is effective to swing the lever 58 and the gangs. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the greater the permissive clockwise movement of the bell crank 55, the greater will be the angle between the gangs. angle control means will now be described.

The angle-determining unit acting between the bell crank 56 and the front gang is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral i951 and, as best shown in Figure 4, comprises a bar m: having bifurcated end section I02 apertured to receive the associated pivot pin it. The bar Hi5 is slidably disposed in a tubular section 33 formed at the rear or outer end of the forward member ltd, the latter including a pair of apertured bars m5 connected, as by welding, to the sleeve section I 93. The forward ends of the bars I are apertured to receive the pivot pin I5. The forward end of the bar IOI extends between the bars I in telescopic association and the movement of the bar IOI into the other bar I05 is limited by means of a quick detachable pin I08 carried by a flexible chain I09 on the member I04. The pin I08 is disposable in any one of several sets of openings I II formed in the bars I05. The pin I00 serves as a stop limiting the inward movement of the bar and, as best shown in Figure 5, this provides for disposing the gangs in any one of several angled operating positions. A second set of openings H2 is formed in the bars I05, and the front end of the bar IOI is likewise provided with an opening II3 which, when brought into the proper position registers with one of the pairs of openings I I2 so that when the pin I08 is inserted in the openings II2 as well as the opening H3 in the front end of the bar IOI, it serves to lock the telescopically associated members IOI, I04 against relative movement in either direction, whereby the bell crank unit 50 is likewise held against rocking movement in either direction about its point of pivotal support When the harrow I is hitched to the drawbar 44 of the tractor, and the tractor driven forwardly, the draft pull is transmitted through the hitch structure 41 to the right end of the front gang 2 and to the bell crank 56 at the other end of the hitch structure. The pull being thus transmitted directly to the right end of the front gang, the front gang is thus pulled into an angled position while the resulting rocking movement of the bell crank 50 is transmitted through an angling link I20 to the rear gang adjacent the left end of the latter. part of the rear gang angling means L mentioned above and is connected by means of a pivot I2I to the -bell crank 56 while the rear end of the link :20 is connected to the pivot 28 on the left end of the rear gang, this pivot connection being made at the left side of the pivotal connection between the front and rear gangs, whereby as the forward draft swings the bell crank 56 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, a forward pull is transmitted through the link I20 to the left end of the rear gang, thus pulling the latter into an angled position (Figure 1) at the same time thatthe forward gang is pulled into an this tendency is opposed by the fact that the line of pull transmitted through the link I20 passes quite close to the pivot 51, the moment arm being indicated in Figure l by the reference character a, whereas the forward draft pull, transmitted to the pivot point 'II, acts with a much longer lever arm, as indicated by the reference character I) in Figure 1. Therefore, regardless of soil conditions, the draft pull acts with sufficient force to hold the gangs in their angled positions under all conditions of operation.

Normally, the gangs are straightened by back ing the outfit, the soil resistance against the disks serving to swing them into their transport or The angling link I20 forms a parallel positions, as shown in Figure 2. This backing action causes the bell crank 50 to turn in a counterclockwise direction, thereby withdrawing the bar Illi from within the forward portions of the bars I05. When the gangs reach their straightened position, the operator may remove the pin I00 from the openings HI and drop the pin into the forward set of openings I I2 (Figure 5), in which position the front end of the bar IOI comes into abutting relation with the pin I08. This determines the transport position of the gangs when moving forwardly, and the outfit may be driven along a road, lane or the like and the disks will roll freely. If it should be desired to back the outfit in transport position, the pin I00 is placed in the rear set of holes H2 and in the hole H3 in the bar IOI, thus locking the gangs in straightened position. In operation, a left turn is normally made with the gangs in their angled position, as shown in Figure 1, but if it should be desired to make a right turn, which ordinarily is not required very frequently, the

pin I03 is placed or retained in the forward holes' II2 (Figure 5) and an offset turning bar I is fixed to the rear of the tractor and connected by a turning chain I25 to the front gang. Thus, when the tractor is turned to the right, the gangs will readily move into an angled position with the gangs converging toward the right side of the outfit, the rod I0i moving to the right (Figure 2) away from the pin I08 in the left hand opening I I2 to accommodate this action.

In the harrow described above, when the operator desires to change the angle to which the harrow moves when'the tractor is driven forwardly, it is necessary for the operator to dismount from the tractor and manually change the position of the stop pin I08. Under many conditions of operation it is usually not required to change the angle very frequently, and hence it is not objectionable to provide a simple stop arrangement, such as the pin E08, but under other conditions it may be desirable or necessary to change the operating angle between the disk gangs relatively frequently, in which case it becomes objectionable to require the operator to go to the trouble of stopping the outfit and dismounting from the tractor in order to manually change the location of the pin it. According, we have provided in a modified form of the present invention an arrangement in which the gangs of an offset disk harrow of the type described above may be readily straightened or angled to the desired position from the tractor seat, even though the tractor is not equipped with a hy draulic power-operated unit, such as the one shown in the parent application identified above.

angle-determining mechanism indicated by the reference numeral I00 in Figures 1-5 is replaced by an angled-determining mechanism which may be controlled without requiring that the operator dismount from the tractor. The modified construction of angle-determining means is indicated in Figures 6 et seq, by the reference numeral I30 and comprises a pair of telescopically associated members I3! and I32 pivotally connected at their outer ends, as by'the pivot pins 15 and 16 to the bell crank 56 andthe apertured lug TI on the.

front gang frame ii. The angle control member I3I comprises upper and lower bar sections I33 and its welded at their inner ends to strips I35 which form, in conjunction with the bars I33 and I34, a tubular or sleeve section I35 in which the inner end of the cooperating telescopically associated member I32 is received. The latter member comprises a square bar I3! and a pair of apertured lugs I38 welded to the outer end or" the square bar I31, the apertures in the lugs I38 receiving the pivot pin it. The upper and lower bars I33 and H4 of the angle control member I3I are provided with a plurality of apertures I II adjacent the outer end of the member I3I, and, inwardly thereof, another pair of apertures I42. l'he extension of the telescopically associated members Itl and I32 is limited by means of a stop pin Hid which is removably inserted in an opening I55 in the inner end of the square bar I31, the pin I ll, when in place in the opening hi5, being held rigidly in place by means of a locking screw Access to the locking screw I46 is obtained through the opening I42 in the upper bar I33 of the member Hit. By loosening and/or removing the locking screw HIE, the stop pin M l, which engages the adjacent ends of the strips I35 to limit the outward movement of the member I 32 relative to the member I3I, may be removed. When the stop pin IM is in place, as shown in Figure 7, backing the harrow serves to move the disk gangs from their operating or angled position into a parallel or transport position, during which action the bell crank 56 swings in such a direction as to draw the member I 3| away from the member I32, but the pin I44 is positioned so that'when the gangs reach their parallel position the ends of the strips I35 come up against the pin i l-12, thereby preventing the harrow gangs from moving past their straightened or transport position when the harrow is backed. As best shown in Figure 7, the openings I52 are so placed in the bars I33 and 434.: that they come substantially in register with the inner end of the square bar I3? when the pin I 55 lies against the adjacent ends of the strips 535. When the stop pin his is detached from the bar Isl, the harrow gangs may be swung past their transport or straightened position and into an oppositely angled position, by backing the tractor. This feature of the present invention will be referred to in more detail later. When a forward pull is exerted on the hitch of the harrow and the outfit driven forwardly, the soil pressure against the disks serves to swing the gangs into an angled or Working position. During this action the bell oral in such direction as to move the member I35 in telescoping relation with re spect to the bar 532, and the harrow gangs continue to move into a position of increasing angle until the inner end of the bar I3I comes up against a stop or an abutment. In the instant form or" the invention the angle-determining stop comprises a new and improved latch box unit I50 which will now be described.

The angle-controlling latch unit I50 is mounted for sliding movement on the member I3I longitudinally thereof and along the line of apertures It! and I i-2. The unit i553 comprises a latch box or frame made up of a pair of side plates II and IE2 suitably connected together by intermediate and lower spacer bars I53 and I54 and at their upper edges by a generally circular abutment plate I55. The latter and the spacing bars I53 and i5 1 are provided with aligned apertures. A vertically disposed locking plunger I5! is disposed in the apertures in the intermediate bar I53 and the abutment plate I55 and extends upwardly above the surface of the latter member a distance suflicient to receive a generally horizontally disposed, operating lever I58 pivotally connected thereo. Preferably, the lever I58 is made up of a pair of bars I59 which are apertured to receive a pivot pin IEiI that extends through a transverse opening in the upper or extended end of the locking plunger I51. The lever I58 extends in opposite directions from the pivot IGI and normally is disposed flat against the abutment plate by virtue of a spring I62 which is disposed between the under side of the plate and a stop washer I54 which is held in place by a pin it?) extending through an opening in the lower portion of the locking plunger 65?, above the intermediate spacer plate I53. An operating cable I56 is connected to the longer end of the lever E58, and the lower end IS? of the plunger Ifi'l extends downwardly, when the lever E58 lies fiat against the plate I 55, a distance sufficient to enter, and thereby be latched to, any selected opening MI in the upper bar 33. The plunger I5? does not enter the openings in the lower bar I3 3, but the latter bar is a'pertured like the upper bar 33 to provide for convenience in manufacture and assembly. A cross bar I'II is carried by the lower portions of the side plates E55 and i232 and extends laterally outwardly through openings I12 formed in the side plates it'll and The outer ends of the bar i'iI are apertured to receive cotters N13 or the like to which the adjacent ends of a pair of springs I15 and H6 are connected. The other ends of the springs H5 and H6 are connected to an anchorhook or yoke H? which, as best shown in Figure is secured, as by welding, to the outer end of the upper lug 38 or the member I32. The crossbar MI is disposed in the path of movement rward or inner end or" the bar I31 and, latch box unit E59 is locked to. the memer till, the bar I'Ii serves as a stop limiting the -ent of the bar in an inward or retracting Normally, the rope or cable I66 ex- 11 the outer end of the latch control lever cward the operators seat on the tractor, the ng plunger i-Eil and the control lever therefor b ng free to swing, around the generally vertical axis of the plunger I57. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, offset disk harrows are sometimes arranged to be angled in working position in a direction opposite to that shown in Figure 6, in which case the harrow is offset toward the other side of the tractor, and in order to secure this arrangement the hitch it: is reversed. This disposes the tractor in a different position relative to the harrow and hence the cable I66 and lever I65 lie in a somewhat different position relative to the latch box or frame iEG. The lever I58 and plunger I51 are freely swingable about the axis of the plunger, and in any position of the lever I58 about the axis of the plunger llil, a generally upwardly directed pull on the cable I56 causes the other end of the lever I58 to act against the abutment plate and raise the plunger I5! until the lower end moves out of the associated aperture MI in the upper bar E33. This frees the latch unit I56 for movement along the bar I33, either to another of the apertures MI or to the aperture in which case release of the cable permits the spring 152 to move the lower end of the plunger I5? into the opening I42 thereby disposin and locking the stop member Ill in a position substantially against the inner end of the bar I31, with the stop member I44 of the latter against the ends of the strips I35. In this position of the parts the angle control unit I30 is locked in its extended position, which maintains the harrow gangs straightened in theirtransport position.

The operation of this form of oifset disk harrow as just described is substantially as follows. Assuming that the harrow is inits straightened or transport position, to bring the same into a working position the operator drives the tractor forwardly. The harrow gangs will automatically move into their angled or working position, the bar I31 moving forwardly into retracted position relative to the companion bar I3I until the inner end of the bar I31 somes, up against the stop member I1I of the latch unit I50, assuming that the latter is in a working position adjacent the outer end of the member I3I, as shown in Figure '7. If, for example, the locking plunger i51 is disposed in one of the intermediate openings MI, and that the operator desires to increase the angle between the disk gangs, all the operator has to do is to exert a pull on the cable I55 which raises the plunger I51 out of the intermediate opening I lI, whereby the soil pressure against the disks acts to increase the angle between the disk gangs, whereupon the bar I51 moves further inwardly of the bar I3I moving the latch unit I50 relative to the bar I3'I. When the disk gangs reach the position desired by the operator he releases his hold on the cable I55, plunger I51 to enter into an adjacent opening I4I, thereby terminating further retracting movement of the angle-determining unit I35 and thereby locking the gangs in the angled position selected.

If, on the other hand, a reduced angle of operation is desired, the operator stops the tractor, pulls on the cable I to lift the plunger I51 from the associated opening MI and then backs the tractor. The soil pressure against the disks when backing the outfit serves to reduce the angle, and as the angle between the disk gangs is reduced the corresponding movement of the bell crank 55 draws the member I3I away from the member I32, and as this occurs the springs I and I15 cause the latch box unit I50 to move substantially with the inner end of the bar I32, relative to the bar I3I. Therefore, when the desired reduced angle is reached, the operator releases his hold on the cable I65, permitting the plunger I51 to enter an adjacent opening Isl, thereby limiting further angle-reducing movement of the latch box I50. Then the tractor is driven forwardly and the angle of the gangs increased until the inner end of the bar I31 comes up against the stop bar I1I in the new position of the latch unit I50.

If it is desired to transport the harrow, as along headlands, roads and the like, with the gangs in their straightened position, the operator backs the tractor while pulling upwardly on the cable I65 to release the plunger I51 from the opening I II. Then as the harrow approaches and reaches its straightened or transport position, with the latch unit I50 following the inner end of the bar I31, the plunger I51 is permitted to enter the opening I42 by the operator releasing the cable I00 when the disk gangs reached their straightened position. Thereafter, so long as the latch box I50 is retained in this position, the disk gangs are held or locked in their straightened or transport position, and the harpermitting the may be made.

row may then be driven either forwardly or backwardly as desired without having the disks move out of their transport position.

When the latch box I is in an operating position, as indicated in Figure '1, and it is desired to back the outfit it is not necessary for the operator to do anything to the latch box unit I50. Backing of the harrow in its operating position, with the latch box I50 locked to the outer end portion of the angle-control member I3I, results in a, straightening movement of the disk gangs, but when the pin I44 comes up against the strips 535, the disk gangs are held against moving past their straightened position while backing the outfit. Therefore, the outfit may continue to be backed as long as desirable without changing the position of the latch unit I50. Then, when forward travel is resumed, the harrow automatically goes into its operating position and at the same angle as before, as determined by the unchanged position of the latch unit I50. 7

Under some conditions of operation it may b desirable to arrange the harrow so that a' turn against the normal working angle of the gangs Generally, offset disk harrows are operated in a position offset to the right of the propelling tractor, with the gangs in working position lying at an angle to one another but diverging to the right. When the harrow is in this position the outfit is capable of being turned to the left, which is toward the apex of the angle at which the gangs in their working position are disposed. However, if it should be desired to turn the outfit to the right it becomes necessary to provide means whereby the angle between the gangs may be reversed, that is, the gangs must be swung past their normally straightened or normal operation it transport position and into an oppositely angled position. It will be remembered that when the stop pin I44 is in place in the inner end of the bar I31, it normally prevents movement of the harrow past its straightened position. Therefore, in order to arrange the harrow for a right turn, the pin M4 must be removed and a right-turncontrol mechanism applied which, responsive to a right turn of the tractor, serves to pull the disk gangs into their oppositely angled positions so as to facilitate the making of the turn to the right. It will be remembered, however, that for is a desirable feature to have the harrow so constructed and arranged that, when backing the same, whether or not the harrow is arranged to accommodates. turn to the right, the disk gangs will not be moved beyond their straightened or angled position so long as the outfit is being backed, and it will also be remembered that a removal of the locking pin I54, in the harrow described above, removes the means that holds the gangs in their straightened position when backing.

According to the principles of the present invention we provide not only means to facilitate the making of a right turn butalso means associated therewith which retains the desirable feature just mentioned, namely, the feature which normally prevents the harrow, when being backed, from. moving past its straightened or transport position. Such means will now be described.

Referring now to Figure 10, it will be seen that we provide an abutment I8I which is attachable by a pair of bolts I82 to the forward end of the angling bar I20 which, for the purposes of receiving the right-turn control, may usually be provided with a pair of holes I83 (Figure '1) to receive the bolts I82. Cooperating with the abutment I8! on the angling bar is a sliding stop member 555 mounted for lateral movement on the front bar of the front gang. The stop member I 85 comprises a pair of vertical plates I85 disposed about the associated frame bar and held in place by suitable bolts I81, spacing bushings able point to the tractor, at the left of the hitch point between the tractor and the hitch cc. Connected to the turning bar I9! is a slotted plate I92 which receives and connects to any one of a number of links of a right-turn chain I533. The chain I93, which represents any convenient form of flexible element, extends rearwardly and passes through an opening I 94 in a directionchanging member in the form of a plate secured by a pair of U-bolts I95 to the forward bar of the front gang frame. The laterally turned and transversely movable rear end portion of the chain I93 is connected by a bolt :91 to the adjacent end of the sliding stop 85. A spring I98 is connected at one end to the sliding stop I85 and at the other end to a hook member I99 which is connected to any convenient point on the gang frame, such as the upper pivot plate 58a on which the bell crank 56 is mounted.

The parts are so constructed and arranged that, as shown in Figure 10, the sliding stop 135 is normally positioned so as to be engaged by the abutment member 1 8! when the tractor is backed and the soil pressure against the gangs moves them into a straightened position, the plate l8! being fixed to the angling bar I26, which moves rearwardly when the gangs are swung from their normal working position into a straightened position, so that it engages the sliding stop I 35 at the moment the gangs reach their parallel or straightened position. Therefore, the gangs are prevented by the stop means I8!, I85 from moving beyond their straightened or transport position when the outfit is backed, which permits leaving the latch unit I50 in its normal working position, so that after the backing operation is completed and the outfit then driven forwardly the gangs automatically go into their previously determined operating position without requiring any change in the position of the latch :59. However, if it should be desired to make a turn to the right, in which case the angling bar 1253 necessarily moves to a point farther rearwardly from that shown in Figure 10, the right-turn chain I93 and associated parts constitute means that responds to a right turning movement of the tractor to draw the slide I35 away from the abutment I8! on the angling bar I28. By drawing the slide I 85 out of the path of movement of the abtument I8I, a rearward movement of the angling bar I20, necessary to accommodate the arrangement of the gangs in their oppositely angled position to facilitate the right turn, is permitted. The slide I85 is drawn toward the left end of the front gang frame whenever the forward end of the chain I93 is pulled forwardly, as by the tractor turning to the right relative to the harrow hitch 40. Therefore, the right-turn responsive mechanism just described serves not only to facilitate the turning of the harrow to the right but also retains the advantage that when the harrow is backed the gangs are locked against moving beyond their straightened position, thereby facilitating the backing of the outfit. When the right-turn means, that is, the chain I93 and associated parts, are not supplied it is necessary to insert the stop pin I44 in the inner end of the bar I37, in order to lock the gangs against moving beyond their straightened or transport position when backing the outfit.

While we have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the exact details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of our invention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent i 3.. An oiiset harrow comprising front and rear gangs pivotally interconnected for move ment into and out oi angled and straightened positions, a bell crank pivotally mounted on the front adjacent one end thereof, a hitch structure pivotally connected at one ride to the front gang adjacent the other end thereof and at the other side to one portion of said bell crank, an angling connection between the other portion of bell cranlz and the rear and angle-determining means connected between the bell crank and the front gang for limiting the movementv of the bell crank in the direction that accompanies angling of said gangs, comprising a pair relatively movable parts, a stop unit slidabie on one of said relatively movable parts, re-

' lees-able means carried. by said slidable stop and releasably engageable with said one part for controllably latching said stop unit to said one part so as to serve as a stop limiting relative move ment between said parts in one direction, and spring means connected with said stop unit for shiftin the latter in one direction along said one part when said unit is released therefrom.

2. An angle-determining means for disk harrows or the lik including a pair of relatively movable members, the relative positions of which determine the angle between the gangs of the harrow, said angle-determining means comprising a pair of relatively slldable parts adapted to be connected, respectively, to said relatively movable members, one of said parts having at one end a plurality of apertures, a latch box slidable on said one part and including stop means engageable by an end of said other part when the latter moves in a direction toward said one end of said one part for limiting relative movement between said parts in that direction, a latching plunger engageable in any of said plurality of apertures for locking said stop means in various positions relative to said one part, and means for operating said plunger, and. spring means acting between said other part and said latch box for causing the latter to be positioned along said one part when said latching plunger is released from said one part and said other part is moved in the other direction.

3. An angle-determining means for disk harrows or the like including a pair of relatively movable members, the relative positions of which determine the angle between the gangs of the harrow, said angle-determining means comprising a pair of relatively slidabl parts adapted to be connected, respectively, to said relatively movable members, one of said parts having at one end a plurality of apertures and a transport aperture spaced from said plurality of apertures 13 toward the other end of said one part, a latch box slidable on said one part and including stop means engageable by an end of said other part when the latter moves, in a direction toward said one end of said one part for limiting relative movement between said parts in that direction, said relatively movable members having means limiting the relative movement between said members in the other direction, which defines the transport position of the harrow, said transport aperture lying adjacent the inner end of said other part when the latter isin the transport position, a latching plunger engageable in any of said plurality of apertures for lockin said stop means in various positions relative to said one part and also engageable in said transport aperture when said other part is in its transport position, and means for operating said plunger, and spring means acting between said other part and said latch box for causing the latter to be positioned along said one part when said latching plunger is released from said one part and said other part is moved in the other direction.

4. In an agricultural implement, a pair of adjacently associated members, one movable relative to the other, stop means carried by one of said members in a position to serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the other member relative to said one member in one direction, said stop means being shiftable relative to said one member into different positions relative thereto, releasable latch means acting between said stop means and said one member for optionally fixing said stop means spring means extending between said other member and said stop means for causing the latter to be moved to difierent positions relative to said one member by virture of movement of said other member when said latch means is released.

5. In a disk harrow of the type having pivotally interconnected gangs and hitch means conto said one member, and n nected therewith whereby said gangs tend to move into difierent positions of angle by virtue of soil pressure against the gangs when forward or rearward draft is applied to said hitch means: the improvement which comprises a pair of adjacently associated members, one movable rela tive to the other and adapted to be connected, respectively, to move with said gangs when the gangs move, stop means carried by one of said members in a position to serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the other member relative to said one member in one direction, thereby serving todetermine the angular position of one gange relative to the other, said stop means being shiitable relative to said one member into diiierent positions relative thereto, releasable latch means acting between said stop means and said one member for optionally fixing said stop means to said one member, and spring means extending between said other member and said stop means for causing the latter to be moved to different positions relative to said one member by virtueof movement of said gangs and the resultant movement of said other member when said latch means is released.

6. In a disk harrow or the type having pivot ally interconnected gangs and hitch means connected therewith whereby said gangs tend to move into difierent positions of angle by virtue of soil pressure against the gangs when forward or rearward draft is applied to said hitch means: the improvement which comprises a pair or telescopically associated members connected at their tractor in one direction relative outer ends with said gangs to move concomitantly therewith, stop means carried by one of said members and engageable with the other for limiting relative movement therebetween in a direction to prevent said gangs from moving beyond a parallel position when a rearwardly directed force is applied to said hitch means to back the harrow, and a second stop means movably carried by one of said members in a position to be engaged by the other member, when a forwardly directed force is applied to said hitch means, for determining the angle between said gangs when in a working position.

7. An offset disk harrow comprising front and rear gangs, means disposed intermediate the ends of the gangs for pivotally connecting them together for movement into and out of angled and transport positions, a hitch structure, means connecting one side of the hitch struct .re to the front gang at one side of said pivotal interconnecting means between the gangs, a bell crank mounted on the front gang generally adjacent the other end thereof and including a pair of arms, an angling bar connected at its forward end with one of said arms and at its rear end with the rear gang generally at the other side of said pivotal interconnecting means between the gangs, means pivotally connecting the other side of said hitch structure with the other of said bell crank arms whereby a forward pull transmitted to said bell crank exerts a force tending to rotate said bell crank and move said angling link forwardly to swing said rear gang into angled position, an abutment on said angling bar, a part adapted to be movably mountedon one of said gangs in a position to cooperate with said abutment for limiting the rearward movement of said angling bar so as to hold said gangs in substantial parallelism when the harrow is backed by virtue of a rearwardly directed force applied to said hitch device, and means responsive to turning of the to the hitch device for shifting said part away from said abutment to provide for angling said gangs in the other direction.

8. For use in a tractor-propelled offset harrow of the type including a pair of pivotally interconnected gangs normally angled in one direction, a hitch device pivoted at one side to the forward gang and connected at the other side through a generally fore and aft extending link with the rear gang, and means separate from said link and acting between said hitch device and said front gang for controlling the angle between said gangs when the harrow is drawn forwardly: the improvement comprising an abutment attachable to said link, a part adapted to be movably mounted on one of said gangs in a position to cooperate wtih said abutment for limiting the rearward movement of said link so as to hold said gangs in substantial parallelism when the harrow is backed by virtue of a rearwardly directed force applied to said hitch device, and means responsive to turning of the tractor in one direction relative to the hitch device for shifting said part away from said abutment to provide for angling said gangs in the-other direction.

9. In a tractor-propelled type of disk harrow, a pair of pivotally interconnected gangs, one being disposed ahead of the other and including a transverse frame bar, means for controlling the angle between said gangs including a generally fore and aft extending angling bar,

an abutment fixed to said bar, a stop slidable laterally on said transverse frame bar into and out of the path of movement of said abutment, a right turn responsive means comprising a flexible element connected at its rear end with said slidable stop and adapted to be connected at its forward end to the tractor, and directionchanging means on said one gang and receiving the rear portion or said element whereby fore and aft movement of the forward portion of said el ment shifts the rear end of said flexible element laterally and thereby shifts said step along said transverse frame bar laterally relative to said angling bar.

10. In a disk barrow or the like having a pair of telescopically associated members, one comprising a pair of spaced-apart, generally parallel bars between which the other member is longitudinally uliiitable, the improvement conipris a latch unit mounted on said one member and including a frame, receiving and connected with the spaced-apart bars or" said one member, and a stop member carried by said frame and having a portion disposed between said bars, said stop member being adapted to be engaged by the other of said telescopically associated 1116211 bers, and means carried by said frame and including a portion engageable with at least one or" said bars for securing said frame in different position along said bars.

11. In a disk harrow or the like having a pair of telescopically associated members, one having a plurality of apertures therein and the other movable into diherent positions along the line of said apertures, the improvement comprising a latch unit adapted to be mounted on said one member and having a frame movable into different positions along said line of apertures, an abutment carried by said frame in a position to be engaged by the other of said members, a locking plunger movable in said frame into and out of position in selected apertures, and means connected with said plunger and acting against said frame for operating said plunger.

12. In a disk harrow or the like having a pair of telescopically associated members, one having a plurality of apertures therein and the other movable into different positions along the line of said apertures, the improvement comprising a latch unit adapted to be mounted on said one member and having a frame movable into different positions along said line of apertures, an abutment carried by said frame in a position to be engaged by the other of said membore, a locking plunger movable in said frame into and out of position in selected apertures, and means connected with said plunger and acting against said frame for operating said plunger, and spring means connected between said other member and said latch unit, when said locking plunger is released from said apertures, for causing the latter to be shifted along said one member until said abutment engages said other member, said abutment being located on said frame so that, when said abutment engages said other member, said plunger is in a position to enter an adjacent aperture.

13. In an ofiset disk harrow of the type having pivotally interconnected gangs and angle control means including lever means pivoted to one of the gangs and turnable relative thereto when the angle between the gangs is changed: the improvement comp ising a pair oi relatively shiftable members connected, respectively, with said one gang and said lever means to move therewith, a latch box unit mounted on one of said members and including a latch normally latched with respect to said one member, said latch box unit including means carried thereby in a position to be engageable with the other member to limit the movement of said lever means relative to said one gang, said latch box unit being shiftable relative to said one member into different positions, and spring means connected between said other member and said latch box unit for causing the latter to be shifted rela tive to said one member when said latch is released irorn both of said members, the engageable means carried by said latch box unit being located so that, when said means en ages said other member, said latch is in latchin position with respect to said one member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Youngberg Oct, 15,

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